The U.S. Census Bureau, in partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), has released new summary tables and public use files from the 2024 Rental Housing Finance Survey (RHFS). The survey is recognized as the only source that offers a full overview of mortgage financing for all types of rental properties in the United States.
The RHFS collects information on various aspects of residential rental properties. These include property characteristics such as value, purchase price, year built, year acquired, number of buildings, number of rental units, and recent improvements or upgrades. The survey also gathers data about rental status and monthly rents for residential buildings, commercial uses within these structures, property management and ownership details, and any benefits received from federal, state, local or nongovernmental programs.
Mortgage characteristics are another key focus area for the RHFS. The survey documents the number of mortgages or debts on each property, original and outstanding loan amounts, and payment frequencies—whether biweekly, monthly, annually or one-time.
The 2024 data collection took place between June and November. According to the Census Bureau, “The RHFS provides measures of financial, mortgage and property characteristics of U.S. residential properties with at least one housing rental unit. It is the only data source that provides a comprehensive picture of mortgage financing for all types of rental properties.”
For further details about the survey findings and access to public use files, interested parties can visit the Rental Housing Finance Survey (RHFS) webpage at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/rhfs.html.
